Seat belts, child seats and phone laws in Michigan

By the end of this topic you can

• You can say who must wear a seat belt in each seating position.
• You can choose the right restraint and seat for a young child.
• You can list what Michigan's hands-free law bans and allows.
• You can explain how Kelsey's Law applies to Level 1 and Level 2 drivers.
• You can set up your car before driving to avoid distractions.

What you need to know and understand

• The driver and every front-seat passenger must be buckled up.
• Every passenger under 16 must be buckled up in every seat.
• Children under 8, or shorter than 4 feet 9 inches, must ride in a car seat or booster seat.
• Children under 4 must ride in a rear seat if the vehicle has one, unless all rear seats are taken by other children under 4.
• A rear-facing child seat may go in the front only if the passenger air bag is turned off.
• Holding or using a phone while driving is illegal for all drivers; fines are $100 for a first offense and $250 after that.
• Under Kelsey's Law, GDL Level 1 and Level 2 drivers may not use a phone while driving, even hands-free, except in an emergency.

Belts and child seats done right

Wear the lap belt low across the hips and the shoulder belt across the middle of the chest, away from the neck. Air bags are not a substitute for a belt. Drivers excused for medical reasons must carry a doctor's statement. Sit at least 10 inches from the steering wheel, and seat children 12 and under in the back where possible.

Children stay in a car seat or booster until they reach age 8 or 4 feet 9 inches, whichever comes first, but the height rule is the better guide because belts may not fit smaller children. Never hold a child on your lap or share one belt between two people, and never take a child out of a car seat to nurse while moving. Anyone under 18 may not ride in an open pickup bed above 15 mph, with limited exceptions. Leaving a child under 6 alone in a car in a risky situation is illegal.

What the hands-free law covers

• Banned while driving: holding a phone or tablet, making or answering calls, sending, reading or receiving texts, watching or recording video, and using social media.
• Allowed for adults and Level 3 drivers: GPS if you do not type by hand, voice-operated or hands-free use after a single tap or swipe, systems built into the car, a dash cam, and a phone in a mount used in one of those ways.
• Emergencies: any driver, including teens, may call or text 911 or another emergency service to report a crash, medical emergency, fire, hazard, crime or a dangerous driver.

Cutting distraction before you move

At 65 mph, a car covers about 24 feet in the quarter of a second it takes your brain to switch between tasks. Our Kelsey's Law guide explains the teen rules in more depth.

1. Set your navigation route and music before you start.
2. Learn the car's controls so you can use them without looking.
3. Buckle in children and settle them before leaving.
4. Put the phone where you cannot reach it, or let a passenger handle it.
5. If you need to call or eat, park safely first.

Common mistakes

• Letting back-seat teens aged 16 or 17 skip belts. Everyone should buckle up, and the front seat is always required.
• Moving a small child out of a booster on their 8th birthday when the belt still does not fit.
• A Level 2 driver taking a hands-free call. Kelsey's Law bans it except in emergencies.
• Glancing at texts at red lights. You are still driving on a public road.

Test yourself: Seat belts, child seats and phone laws in Michigan

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• Michigan Kelsey’s Law and the Hands-Free Law for Teen Drivers
• Michigan Permit Practice Test
• How to Get a Driver’s License in Michigan